The Enemy's Ball

31. Okay For Now

Draco woke up warm. His entire body felt warm, like not in a hot! fire! kind of way, just a comfortable warmth that made him want to never leave bed. He twisted around slightly and then stopped. There was a person behind him. Harry. Harry was behind him. Memories from the night before came rushing back to him and he blushed. He flipped over completely and found his own face inches from Harry's. He flinched back instinctively and exhaled in amusement. Draco reached out and brushed Harry's hair back from his eyes, and when the other boy didn't wake, he shimmied down so that his head was right underneath Harry's. He wrapped his arms around Harry and nestled himself into Harry's chest, feeling warm and content. It was impossible, he thought, to not love Harry Potter.

Harry muttered something in his sleep and Draco smiled a bit. "What?" Draco whispered, to see if Harry would repeat himself. This was probably not an "okay" thing to do, and most likely a huge invasion of privacy, but it wasn't like Draco was going to do anything with whatever Harry said. Before, when they were "enemies", perhaps. But now they weren't enemies. Now they were friends, well, kind of. Draco wasn't entirely sure what they were, but he knew that he was definitely past crushing stage, and he didn't think that friends were supposed to cuddle each other, and a good friend definitely wouldn't be in love with their mate. No. So Draco didn't know what he and Harry were, but that was okay too, he thought. Because Harry was holding him, and he was holding Harry, and everything was good.

Harry murmured again, "Warm." And then he pulled Draco closer.

"Mmph-" Draco giggled a bit and squeezed Harry back. It really didn't matter whether they were enemies, friends, or something else, because Draco liked this, and he loved Harry, and Harry was holding him.

He breathed deeply and reluctantly rolled out of the Gryffindor's arms. The problem with sleeping, as amazing as it was, was that when you woke up, no matter how comfortable you were, or how much you really really don't want to leave bed, you always have to pee. Draco sighed again and checked the time. It was currently 11 AM. Draco raised an eyebrow. That was early considering how tired he had been the night before. He grabbed his uniform and padded to the bathroom.

When he came back out, Harry was sitting on the edge of his bed, with a puzzled expression on his face. Draco frowned, "What's wrong?"

Harry blinked and shook his head as if clearing it. He raised an eyebrow at Draco's outfit, "Are we going to class after all then?" he asked, ignoring the question.

"Obviously, Potter. It wouldn't make sense to not go, I'm fine, you're fine, and I'm really not supposed to miss class, you know that," Draco said, still frowning because there was something Harry wasn't telling him.

Harry frowned too, "Are you sure you're fine?" he asked. "It's okay if you're not, really."

Draco felt pinpricks of tears behind his eyes and he scoffed, "I said I am, so I am. Now get ready, because I want lunch, and I won't wait up." Of course he would. And of course he wasn't.

Harry sighed but obeyed. He collected clothes and walked past Draco on his way to the bathroom. But then he stopped. He set his clothes down on the bathroom counter and ran back into their room. He wrapped Draco in a hug from behind, "Sorry for pushing."

Draco stiffened and blinked hard. He patted Harry's hands, which were linked on his stomach and he laughed. "Thanks. But seriously Harry, I'm hungry."

Twenty minutes later, he and Harry were on their way down to the Great Hall for lunch. They were arriving slightly earlier than the official start time of the meal, but all the better really. Maybe, if they ate fast enough, Draco wouldn't have to deal with anyone staring at him. He'd gotten a hold of the Prophet while Harry was showering, and the entire article, not just the headline or the "Juiciest Gossip!" section, the entire paper was about his trial and how "HARRY POTTER: SAVIOR OF THE WIZARDING WORLD, FRIENDS WITH A RE-OFFENDING DEATH EATER?"

Draco sighed and nibbled on his sandwich. He wasn't that hungry anymore. Harry, on the other hand, was scarfing down his food as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. Which couldn't be true, seeing as he'd just eaten a full meal with Draco last night. Draco sipped his water in lieu of eating and sighed again as the doors to the Great Hall burst open, students flooding the room. 

Harry looked up from his food and grimaced. "Darn. I was hoping we wouldn't have to do this right now," he said. "You think they'd notice if we just left?"

Draco stared at him, "Potter. You imbecile, of course they'll notice. They're already staring at us and it hasn't been one minute. I'm sure they'll think highly of me dragging you from the Great Hall."

Harry had the common sense to look bashful at least. Draco wanted to laugh. But he didn't. Not with hundreds of students staring at them. "I read the paper."

Draco felt a chill go through him, "You did?"

Harry nodded, "They're wrong you know? The Prophet? They almost always are. Try not to let it get to you too badly, it wasn't fair of them to write that stuff." Then his eyes widened and he made stopping signs with his hands. "Not about me being your friend! That part is completely true!"

Draco felt torn between laughing at Harry or ignoring his lack of skilled speech. He took another sip of water and chose the latter. He set down the glass gently and ran a hand through his hair, "The world isn't fair, Harry."

"I know that," Harry said. "I of all people should know that better than most. It doesn't make it any less upsetting, or less of a topic to complain about." Draco didn't really have an argument for that. Harry was right. 

"Harry! Mate, I honestly thought you were going to stay in for the day! Snape and Mcgonagall understood your excuse completely, although Snape threatened to take points if it happened again. Mione told him that he'd also have to take points from Slytherin if he did from you, since Mal- Draco was skipping as well, and he started writing on the chalkboard, not another word about points," Weasley said in one breath. Draco half-heartedly wondered how he was able to talk so much in a short time.

The red-headed Gryffindor slid into the seat next to Harry and Hermione sat across from him, next to Draco. Harry smiled, "Nice one, Mione."

Hermione grinned, "Well, sometimes teachers have to be told off too."

Draco did laugh at that. "Goody-Goody Granger talking back to a teacher? Unheard."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, but only for a moment before she realized that it was a joke. She smirked. "Yes, well."

Draco was extremely aware of the eyes staring at him from around the hall, as well as the not-so-quiet whispers fueling the rumor mills. But right now he was talking to his friends, and having friends was a very reassuring thing. Having friends meant having people that would stand up for you and take care of you, even if you were accused of murder. So Draco smiled and took another bite of his sandwich. Maybe things weren't really okay, at least not in the long-term sense, but they were for now. And for now, that's all that mattered.

Updated: June 23rd, 2021